Re: Running in advice
IMO, Everyone needs to run in their cars. Factories produce hundreds and thousands of cars per year and if you do some maths, it is really a lot of engines to run in. Even though they bench run the engines, there is no load and the main purpose is to check if all the necessary functions are working (sensors, injectors, ignition, blah blah) If they were to load the engines on a dyno, the hooking up is already not effective.
Therefore, i do urge all new owners (especically if you own a mass produced car) to run-in your engine and car when you pick it up. How to run in?
For the 1st 1000km, keep the car at half redline maximum. Occasionally bring the car about 1000rpm higher than half redline (like in acceleration). Once the first 1000km goes, change the oil and filter. The oil may not be black and thick but the metal particles in the oil and filter cannot be seen. Now increase both running and occasional limits by 500rpm for every tank of fuel. So at about 3500km, you car chould be totally run in.
Why run in? The bearings and cylinder rings need to match their surfaces together and failure to do so will cause some metal particles that get worn off maturally to remain trapped in the wear surface and then cause a burn or artificial wear mark. With lower crank speeds, the oil has a better chance of moving the particles away.
If you start extending the engine from day 1, there should be greater clearance between the wear surfaces and hence liberating a little more power ( about 1-4hp more depending on CC) But the down side is greater oil consumption and lesser engine life. The engine life is not really applicable if you intend to keep the car for
